The Crescent Chronicles
by ankokuryu
Summary: Artemis and Sky have been friends longer than they can remember. But one night, when Artemis is attacked by an Absol, the only way to fully recover is to find the legendary Crescent Berry. Sky goes with her, but the two didnt know what they got into...R
1. Wounded

Me: I own POKEMON!!!

Artemis: yeah, whatever.

Sky: people, Ankokuryu does not own Pokemon.

Prologue: Wounded

It was a hot summer's night, and the moon has risen well above the horizon. It was actually unusually hot, because in Sinnoh, things didn't really heat up. Still, no one was complaining. Especially a pair of teenagers that happened to be walking in the woods…

One of them was a girl, about fourteen years of age. She had silver hair, which shone brightly even in the darkest nights. It was pretty long, going well past her shoulders, and rippled in the breeze like a flowing river. She wore a clean shirt and a mini skirt, which were mainly white, with a hint of pink. Her eyes were a dazzling orchid color, which looked exactly like the moon in the sky above. Those eyes were full of power and mystery, and if you looked at it once, you'd tend to get swallowed by them… Just like the boy beside her was.

"Uuh… Sky? You're staring at me again." The girl said to her companion.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Artemis," said the boy as he snapped out of his trance.

Artemis' companion was a boy around her age, called Sky Stratus. He had sapphire eyes, with sky blue hair. His eyes were filled with energy and passion, and told of his great powers and dreams. He wore a simple T-shirt and jeans, which were rather dirty. Very unlike his companion.

"Staring at me again, Sky Stratus. If I didn't know better, I'd say you like me," said Artemis coolly.

"Yeah, whatever, you wish Artemis Crescent!" shouted Sky, although there was a tint of pink on his face.

"Yeah you do! You've been staring at my face the whole time!" retorted Artemis.

As they kept on bickering, a pair of eyes watched them from the darkness. Those eyes were filled with evil and hatred. Eyes that knew no compassion. It had followed them through the forest, staying just out sight, lingering in the darkness.

The two teens were still bickering, when suddenly, the dark shadow shot out in front of them. The two were very surprised, and Artemis let out a scream. Even Sky, even though most things didn't scare him, let out an audible gasp. In front of them stood a big dark Pokemon with red tinted fur and a blood red blade on its head.

"Isn't that an Absol???" stammered Sky.

"But I thought Absols had white fur with black blades," answered Artemis.

"Whatever Artemis, what should we do?" asked Artemis.

"I think we sho…"

Artemis was cut off mid-sentence when the Disaster Pokemon growled and pounced.

"RUN!!!" shouted Sky.

Too late, Sky watched in horror as Absol cut Artemis' back with its blade. The gash went pretty deep, and Sky could see her shirt starting to stain red. Blood red. The same color as the attacker. After letting out a shriek of pain, Artemis lay on the ground. Snarling, the Pokemon ran away, back into the darkness. Sky ran over to Artemis, checking her wound. It was about five millimeters deep, but thankfully, it was merely a flesh wound. Checking her pulse, Sky confirmed that she was alive. Sighing in relief, Sky carried her on her back, and started walking towards home. During that time, Sky reflected on the events that just happened.

'_Why did a Pokemon attack a human?? It's not like we provoked it… And didn't Artemis say that the Absol was the wrong color? It's not like Artemis to get things wrong. She's always top in our class.'_

As he was thinking, his thoughts turned to the girl on his back. He had been best friends with her since the day they met. Heck, he couldn't even remember when they met. Never far from each other, had they done everything together. No one in their town had ever seen them without each other. He had to admit, he did like Artemis. Her dreamy eyes, her long flowing hair, curved hips… WAIT! He told himself, before he could go any further.

'_Artemis is my best friend! What the hell am I thinking?!!' _he thought to himself, _'Still, I guess I do like her…'_

As he was concentrated in his own thoughts, the first lights began to appear before him. He was nearly home. Pushing himself, he dragged himself and Artemis along, towards the light. "Just a bit more" he told himself. He could feel his legs shaking now, but he forced them to move. By the time Sky had reached his hometown, he was exhausted. Taking the final steps towards the closest house, he reached for the doorbell, and rang it. After a few seconds, Artemis's mother, Luna, came out and greeted him. However, as soon as the door opened, Sky blacked out, falling to the ground taking Artemis with him. Sky could just hear Luna Crescent screaming, before he blacked out.

'_Dammit.'_

Artemis woke up to find herself on her bed. She tried to sit up, but when she did, a ripple of pain coursed through her back. She groaned in pain. Artemis tried to recall last night's events, but couldn't remember past the point where Sky told her to run. As she concentrated harder, she started to remember flashes, images, of the scene. She remembered the Absol. Its cold eyes, glinting in the moonlight. The Pokemon, pouncing at her as she started to run. The blade, sinking into her back.

"Wait a moment…" said Artemis, as she moved her hand towards her back.

Sliding her hands down her back, she noticed, to her grief, that there was a huge scar running down it. It was bound with bandages so that the cut wouldn't open again. As she lay down, she thought about her scar.

'_This means that I might not be able to move properly again,' she thought, 'no sport, no fun, no exercise. And most of all, my dream…' _

As she thought of those things, she realized that unless she healed her back, realizing her dream of top coordinator could be ruined. Tears formed in her eyes, and she started sobbing softly. While she was crying, she heard a voice coming from downstairs. She thought she heard Sky's and her mother's voice. Sky drifted into her mind, and she just realized then that it was Sky that probably carried her here. That thought turned her face pink. Artemis remembered their argument last night, and that turned her face into a deeper shade of pink. Nearly red, actually.

'_Why am I thinking about Sky like this? He's my best friend! Anyway, he's always got his head up in the clouds, he probably wouldn't notice if I kissed him.'_

Artemis sighed, and put her head back on her pillow. That was when she heard somebody coming up the stairs. After a few seconds, she heard the doorknob click, and she saw Sky coming in. She blushed, and then hid her face in the pillow, afraid that he would sense her feelings and thoughts.

"Hi Artemis. Are you awake?" asked Sky.

Turning her head towards her visitor, she said, "Even if I was, you would have woken me up. Don't you know how to knock?"

Rolling his eyes, Sky said, "Yeah whatever, since when have you knocked on my door?" then, without waiting for an answer, he continued, "Are you ok? I just came here now, I was at my house, I got better, but I mean you… I saw you get hurt pretty badly by that Absol."

Smiling, Artemis told him that she was feeling fine. Sky looked immensely relieved. After what he'd been through, if something was up with Artemis… Sky shook his head. She was fine now, and that was that. However, he had to tell her one more thing.

"Artemis? Uum, we have to go and see Mr. Shine."

Artemis groaned. This was not good. Ray Shine was the village elder, and she had only been sent there lots of times before- when Sky and she had been caught by him while chucking stones at a Mukkuru, when Sky put a Wurmple in her face, also when they got a Bippa to bite a rock, shattering its teeth. They got in trouble those times, and she knew this wouldn't be an exception. The two friends lay there in silence, fearing the event that was going to come sooner or later. Artemis preferred later. A lot later.

Suddenly, Artemis remembered the fact that Sky had carried her all the way back to her house. So, smiling, she said, "Thanks, Sky."

Sky looked confused, and asked, "What?"

"I said thanks. For carrying me back? You know?" said Artemis, playfully nudging Sky.

"Oh!" said Sky, looking surprised, "yeah, no prob. Still, a thanks coming from you? I should record that, might never get another one in my life!"

They looked at each other, went silent for a second, and then burst out laughing. They laughed for a while, and were still coughing from laughter, when Artemis' mother called, "You two up there! Mr. Shine's here!"

Suddenly, they stopped laughing. Sky saw Artemis's pale skin go even paler.


	2. Horizon

Please R+R! btw, this is my first fanfic so go easy on me.

Desclaimer: I dont own Pokemon

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Chapter 1: Horizon

Sky and Artemis both heard it. The sound of someone coming up the stairs. Step, by step. Each step seemed to echo for an eternity in the two friends' ears. But before they had time to even think about the punishment they could get from Mr. Shine, the door opened, and in came Luna Crescent, followed by Mr. Shine. In his late 70's, Mr. Shine was not someone that you would call young. Or even middle aged. He was balding, although he managed to keep a few tufts of white hair at the back of his scalp. When he saw the two teens, he brought his wrinkly old face into a wide smile.

"Hello, Sky and Artemis," greeted Mr. Shine, "got yourselves into a spot again, I see."

Sky and Artemis looked at each other and groaned. However, Mr. Shine just chuckled lightly.

"No, no, you two aren't in trouble… yet." said Mr. Shine, "This depends on what you tell me. Now, please tell me what happened last night. Do not leave a single thing out, as this is critical. Understood?"

Artemis and Sky nodded. Sky told Artemis to tell the story, and so, Artemis started to tell the story from the part where they got out of town. Occasionally, Artemis missed a few things, so Sky added them in for her. Then, they finally got to the point where they started bickering. When Artemis was just about to start talking about the argument, she felt a squeeze on her shoulder. Looking to her side, she saw Sky's hand on her shoulder. He glared at Artemis. Of course, the meaning was obvious. No way was Artemis gonna tell them what Sky and she actually said.

So, Artemis simply said, "…and then we started arguing, and kept on walking on the path…"

Artemis kept talking until she got to the Absol bit. Then, suddenly she stopped. She couldn't go any further. Noticing Artemis' discomfort, Sky started talking. When he mentioned the blood red Absol, however, Mr. Shine gasped. Still, Mr. Shine told him to continue. It was obvious though, that Mr. Shine was gravely concerned. His wrinkles were wrinkled even further when he frowned. Eventually, Sky told of the Absol cutting Artemis' back. Luna emitted a half shriek, half whimper when she heard that her daughter had been harmed by the Disaster Pokemon. A few minutes later, he finished at the part where he blacked out. Sky looked around the room. Everyone looked grim, especially Mr. Shine. After a few minutes of silence, he finally spoke.

"I'm sorry Artemis, but you're back will never get better…" said Mr. Shine. He sighed deeply, and looked really sad.

If Mr. Shine was sad, however, Artemis was devastated. She burst out crying, with her dreams shattered beyond repair. Sky looked down at her, and he felt a twinge in his heart. Guilt? Sky felt responsible for this. If… if only Sky had been quicker to act, he could have prevented it. A tear slid down his cheeks as well. He patted Artemis on her back. She looked up at him, and half smiled..

"…unless of course, you went on a journey." continued Mr. Shine, evidently unaware of the teens' reaction.

Suddenly, Artemis stopped crying. Sky's eyes widened. Mrs. Crescent let out a huge gasp.

"Yes, a journey. You see, that Absol used to be mine, but it was evil," explained Mr. Shine, "never stopped terrorizing the villagers. So, sadly, I had to banish it. Only a good journey will heal your back, Artemis. That Absol's blade is cursed. You will have to find a Crescent Berry, to fully heal your back. To do so though, you'll need a Pokemon to go with you. During your travels, you will learn about Pokemon, travel with them, and create a bond with them. Maybe, just maybe… you'll realize your dream! Top coordinator, wasn't it?"

Behind him, Luna let out a squeal of joy. "Oh my god… my little Artemis is going on a journey!!! Wait till your daddy hears about this!" With that, Artemis found her self being smothered in her mother's embrace.

"M-mum… MUM! You're squishing me! And anyway, Sky's here! Don't do that!" said Artemis, as she wrestled her self out of her mother's arms.

Sky, meanwhile, was feeling awfully left out. Also, the thought of himself without Artemis was haunting his mind. He had always taken it for granted that Artemis would always be there by his side. She was always there with him, ready to stand up for him or to comfort him. Artemis was like a sister to him.

'_Perhaps…' he thought, 'I could go with Artemis?' _

Sky, turning around to look at Mr. Shine, asked, "S-sir. M-may I travel with Artemis?"

Out of the corner of his eye, Sky saw Artemis blush. However, Artemis turned around so that she wasn't facing him anymore.

First, Mr. Shine was surprised, but soon he cracked a grin and said, "Of course you can, Sky. After all, you are fourteen." He paused for a moment, and added, "as long as your mother and Artemis don't mind. Do you? Artemis?"

Artemis, evidently blushing, just shook her head. Sky, noticing her reaction, snickered.

Artemis heard him, and yelled, "WHAT?!!"

Sky, sensing that this was a perfect time to get her back for last night, answered, "You were blushing."

"WAS NOT!" yelled back Artemis.

"WAS TOO!" yelled Sky.

This went on for a few minutes, until Mr. Shine decided to break it up by pointing out that Sky needed to go and tell his parents. Sky dashed out the door. Chuckling to himself again, he got up and started getting ready to go. However, when he got to the door, he turned around so that he was facing Artemis, and threw a Poke ball at her. She caught it, but not before a Pokemon popped out. In front of her was an elegant Pokemon with purple fur. It had a feline look to it, and its tail was split in two. It looked up expectantly at Artemis, who reached down from her bed and scratched it under its chin. It purred softly as it enjoyed the touch.

"Awww. It's so cute! What's it called Mr. Shine?" asked Artemis.

Smiling, Mr. Shine tossed a red gadget at Artemis, and then left through the door. Artemis inspected the red gadget. Opening it up, she realized that it was a Pokedex. But not the crappy ones that they have at school. This was the newest version of the Pokedex, the Pokedex Deluxe. Pointing the Pokedex at the purple Pokemon, she pressed the "scan" button on her Pokedex. After a few seconds of whirring, an image of her Pokemon popped up on the screen.

"Espeon, The Sun Pokémon," it read, "It uses it's fine fur to sense air currents and predict it's foe's actions. The tip of its forked tail quivers when predicting it's opponent's next move. It is extremely loyal to any trainer that it considers to be worthy. It is said that it developed its powers to protect its trainers."

An Espeon, Artemis thought. She was actually surprised that she could actually see a Pokemon not native to Sinnoh with her own eyes. Of course, the Absol was one of them, but it wasn't quite as rare as this little creature here.

"Hmm… From now on, your name will be… Sora." said Artemis.

The Espeon, now Sora, purred her approval.

Meanwhile, next door, Sky was having pretty much the same sort of thing happening to him. He told his mum, who told his dad, who got so excited that he went and bought Sky a Travel Pack.

"So, son, are you ready for a great adventure?" asked Mr.Stratus.

"Yes, dad, for the sixteenth time." answered Sky wearily. He sighed. Why do parents always have to be like this? Sheesh.

"I remember when I was your age…"

Sky shook his head again. Adults ALWAYS had to bring in those "when I was your age" stories. Ignoring his father, he got ready to pack. Some things, he just through away, some things, he paused over.

Clothes, tick.

Medicine, tick.

Water bottle, tick… And the list went on. Nearly finished, he bent down to pick up a photo that was lying on the ground. It pictured him and his family, with Artemis and hers. He smiled to himself as he saw a younger Artemis and him sticking their tongue out at each other. Nothing much had changed in the last eight years, had it? Still smiling, he gently placed into a pouch on his pack.

That was when Mr. Shine came to his house. Telling him that he had Sky's Pokemon, he chucked a Poke ball and a Pokedex at Sky. Out popped a black, feline Pokemon with yellow rings on its ears, head, legs, and tail. As it stretched, Sky noted the rippling muscles underneath its smooth velvet fur. Purring, it started licking Sky's leg. Noting the Pokedex he just received, Sky scanned his Pokemon.

"Umbreon, The Moonlight Pokémon," the Pokedex recited, "When darkness falls, the rings on its body begin to glow, striking fear in the hearts of anyone nearby. When agitated, it protects itself by spraying poisonous sweat from its pores. It evolved as a result of exposure to the moon's waves. It hides silently in darkness and waits for its foes to make a move. The rings on its body glow when it leaps to attack."

He scratched his new Umbreon around its ears, and Umbreon started to purr pleasantly.

"Ok, then. From now on, you'll be called… Aura." said Sky.

Aura purred loudly, evidently appreciating its new name. Sky thanked Mr. Shine, and returned Aura to its Poke ball. He could hear his mom calling his name from downstairs.

"Skyyyy! Are you ready to go yet?" shouted Mrs. Stratus.

"Coming mom!" answered Sky.

Looking at his room for what may be the last time for a while, he ran down the stairs and to outside, where his parents, Mr. Shine, Artemis, and her parents were. Mr. Shine asked them if they were ready. Artemis and Sky confirmed him.

"Well then, you two better be off now." said Mr. Shine.

"Take care of Sky for us," said Mr. Stratus, to Artemis.

"I will," replied Artemis

Sky tried and failed to ignore the comment. He complained to his parents, stating that he could take care of himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Artemis grinning broadly. Seething, he said, "Let's go already."

"Sky, take care of Artemis for us," said Mr. Crescent.

It was Artemis' turn to flush. "Daaaad! I can take care of myself!" complained Artemis.

The parents all started laughing, along with Mr. Shine. He told them that they should be off now. Nodding, the two teens said their good byes and set their eyes on the road.

"C'mon! Let's go!" said Sky, tugging Artemis along.

"Race ya," said Artemis, as she took off.

Rolling his eyes, Sky ran after her.

Behind them, a sign was illuminated by the rising sun.

Twinleaf Town Masago Town 

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	3. Hunted

Ok, Chapter 2 now up. Please, PLEASE, review.

Desclaimer: I dont own Pokemon, ok??

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Chapter 2: Hunted

Artemis and Sky sat down on the grass, panting for breath. Artemis had won, as usual. Of course she would. She was the fastest runner in Twinleaf Town for god's sake. Her body's build was light, slender and graceful, perfect for running. Sky had lost only by a few seconds though, as he wasn't a bad runner himself. Looking back, their hometown was now out of sight, far away on the other side of the hill. They were sitting there, peacefully, when it suddenly happened. Artemis screamed out in pain as a wave of pain was unleashed from her back. She bent over, sobbing, as the pain receded. Sky was absolutely shocked by what had just happened to his friend.

"Is it your back? Are you alright?" asked a very concerned Sky.

Artemis simply nodded, tears running down her cheeks. She lay down as to relax her back. She had completely forgotten about her back wound. Deciding to be more careful from now on, she rubbed her back. As she did, she saw Sky's concerned look.

"I'm okay now Sky, don't get yourself so worked up," assured Artemis.

"Whatever you say, Artemis. But I'm still gonna hurry you to Masago Town so that you can get your back checked," said Sky, and also added, "We're gonna have to camp on this route tonight."

Artemis was actually really excited about this journey. She was actually going to camp out! Artemis herself wasn't really an outdoor person, and wasn't used to "roughing it out" as Sky was. She concluded that she'll just have to get used to it.

"Well, then, do you want to get going?" asked Artemis.

"Yeah, we'd better, huh?" replied Sky, "Let's get going."

Artemis slowly stood up with great caution, as to not put anymore strain on her back. They started walking towards Masago Town, but it was a long walk. The sun was already beginning to set when Artemis and Sky decided to call it a day. They found a nice clearing within the trees, and settled there. They split up to gather some firewood, and then got their sleeping bags out. Sky was trying to for about half an hour to light a fire by rubbing two sticks together when Artemis came back to the campsite, carrying what seemed to be a bundle of berries. Rolling her eyes, Artemis passed him a matchbox.

"Here you go. It's the new invention. It's called a matchbox," said Artemis, "Do you want me to teach you how to use it?"

Glowing red in the face, Sky snatched the matchbox from her hands and lit the match, then the firewood. The sun had already set, so the fire was appreciated greatly by both Artemis and Sky.

"We'd better get our Pokemon out," said Sky, and with that, he let Aura out of his Pokeball, while Artemis let Sora out. The two Pokemon were already greeting each other, sniffing and licking. Artemis and Sky laughed at the antics of their Pokemon, and fed them some Poke food. Sure, it wasn't as good as home made food, but it did the job. While the Pokemon were having their feed, Sky noticed his stomach grumble.

Looking up at Artemis, he said, "Guess I'm hungry too."

"Well, did you bring a pot or a pan?" asked Artemis.

Sky groaned. He didn't. What a shame that was too, because Artemis was the best cook he knew. She made the best food, better than his mum anyway. Ramen, Burgers, Pecha Pie, you name it. If you gave Artemis the ingredients, she could do anything. He especially liked the Pecha Pie. Sighing, he took out some tuna cans.

"You didn't forget to bring a can opener did you?" asked Artemis.

Sky groaned again. He did. He had forgotten to bring a can opener. Sky was feeling pretty hungry and miserable, when he noticed Aura's claws. An idea popped into his head.

"Aura, come here," said Sky, "Can you open these cans for us?"

Aura simply nodded, and got to work with the cans, using his claws to open them. Artemis noticed what he was doing, and asked Sora to do the same. In a few minutes, all four cans were opened. Smiling, Artemis and Sky gave their Pokemon a can each. They lapped it up appreciatively. Sky was about to start eating his, when Artemis snatched it from him.

"Hey! What are you doing?!!" asked Sky.

"Come on Sky, surely you aren't going to eat it by itself?" laughed Artemis, pulling out some bread, along with some berries she had freshly picked. She got to work instantly, first cutting up the Tamata Berry, and then sprinkling some flakes of the Pomeg Berry over the tuna. She then made a sandwich with the cut Tamatas, and Pomeg tuna. Thrusting a stick through each sandwich, she toasted them over the fire. Sky watched in awe as Artemis took the two sandwiches from the fire, handing him one. It was nice and spicy, and was warm. Sky savoured the taste, fully appreciating Artemis' cooking skills.

"That was great, Artemis!" complimented Sky, "I'm glad one of us can cook."

"Yeah, if it was just you, I doubt you'd survive a day out here," replied Artemis, cooking something over the fire.

Sky was about say something, but shut up when Artemis thrust a roasted Wepear Berry at him. Muttering his thanks, he scoffed that down as well. Aura and Sora had finished eating, and had decided to curl up near the fire and sleep. Watching them, Sky decided that it would be a suitable time for sleep as well.

"C'mon Artemis. Let's get some sleep," said Sky, as he got into his sleeping bag.

"Hmm…? Oh, okay, sure," said Artemis, as she unfurled her sleeping bag next to Sky. Yawning, she slipped into the bag. Then, she said, "Sky?"

"Mmmm?"

"What do you think about this? I mean… this whole journey idea? We've just started, and I'm already wondering….. will we be okay?" she said, and whispered, " I'm w-worried, Sky." She cast her eyes down.

Sky was surprised. He had never seen Artemis so unsure before. She was always optimistic, seeing the best in people and occasions. Energetic and happy, Artemis was a very good friend. To see her like this made Sky's stomach twinge. Feeling that he should cheer her up, Sky put a hand on her arm, and gripping it tightly, he assured her, "If we went alone, no, I doubt it," he admitted, "but come on, Artemis, with us two together, of course we'll be okay."

Artemis smiled, and said, "Thanks Sky, you really know how to cheer me up, don't ya?"

With that, Artemis closed her eyes and fell asleep. So did Sky, a few minutes later. By ten minutes, Sky was in a deep sleep. Artemis on the other hand, was having a very restless sleep. She tossed and turned in her sleep as the Absol haunted her dreams.

_The dark Pokemon moved ever closer to Artemis. She could feel its cold breath, its dark eyes boring into hers… It got ready to pounce, and glared at her. Artemis felt fear spring up from within herself… The Pokemon pounced. Artemis tried to run, but she couldn't, her feet were frozen solid. She screamed in pain as the Pokemon's blade cut her flesh… _

Artemis suddenly woke up, only to realise she had been dreaming. She felt a bead of sweat roll down her face. Looking around, she saw Sky, sleeping soundly. Smiling, she got up, just to stretch her legs for a few minutes. To her surprise, she saw that Sora was awake. The feline Pokemon trotted up to her trainer. Patting it on the head, Artemis turned towards the bush.

"Shall we go exploring for a bit Sora?" asked Artemis

Sora cocked her head as a sign of approval. Artemis stepped into the bushes, with Sora trailing after her. It was very quiet at the time of the night, and looking at her watch, Artemis saw that it was still 2.30 in the morning. Looking up, she saw that the full moon she saw two nights ago was starting to wane.

"_It was only two nights ago…" Artemis thought "feels like a month, at least."_

Instinctively, her hand ran up her back as she felt the scar, still there as an ugly memento of that night. She remembered that Absol now, imprinted in her mind as clear as it was on her back. That blood red fur, that sharp curved blade... Suddenly, as if it had read her mind, it jumped out in front of her. Artemis screamed.

Sky woke up with a jolt as he heard his friend's scream. Looking to his side, he noticed that Artemis was not there. The color drained from his face. Calling Aura, who was still asleep, he ran towards the direction he heard Artemis' scream from. During running, a vision crossed his mind.

_Artemis lay on the ground, her dress covered in blood… Her eyes were closed, and blood trickled down from her lips. A Pokemon stood over her, its fur the same color as the liquid it was lapping up… _

"_No," thought Sky, "she's going to be alright… isn't she???"_

Clearing his mind of unwanted thoughts, he ran faster, trying to get to his friend's aid before it was too late…

Artemis stood in horror as her nightmare now stood in front of her. Every bit of the Pokemon was just as she had remembered it. The blood red fur and blade, its smell, stinking of death and decay, its claws, smeared with blood from its recent kill… and most of all the eyes… those chilling eyes with no compassion or kindness whatsoever. It growled, making sure Artemis understood its statement. Artemis got it alright. "I'm going to finish what I started – by killing you." A chill went up her scar. But suddenly, beside her, Sora started glowing. Snarling at the Absol, Sora got into an offensive position, with its body arched, and its fur on end. Suddenly, Artemis remembered what the Pokedex had said. "…It is extremely loyal to any trainer that it considers to be worthy. It is said that it developed its powers to protect its trainers…."

With that knowledge in mind, her fear waned a bit. Patting her partner, she glared down at the Absol, and said, "Its payback time. Go! Sora!"

At the command, Sora leapt at the Absol. Taken by surprise, the Absol took Sora's tackle full on. It flew about two metres, before it hit the ground with a resounding crash. Snarling, it got back up, as it charged up its blade for an attack. As it swung its head back, the blade glowed bright white, and then unleashed a powerful Razor Wind at its opponent. Sora however, was ready. Sensing its opponent's moves, Sora, without being told, dodged the attack easily. However, to her grief, the Razor Wind was now heading directly at her trainer. Artemis screamed as she put her arms up in an attempt to guard herself. Expecting the razor to slice through her any moment, she closed her eyes.

That was when she heard from behind her, "Aura! Use quick attack to get in front of Artemis!" Sky's voice. Suddenly, Artemis saw a blur of black and yellow come in front of her, between the incoming attack and herself. Artemis watched as Aura stood his ground, protecting her. It had a firm, determined look on its face, even as it took the Razor Wind face on. Aura got blown off his feet as the attack struck, and landed on the ground a few feet away. Looking back, she saw Sky running to Aura's aid.

"Artemis! I'm out, so you take care of that Absol!" Raising her hand to signal that she understood, she faced her opponent, than at Sora. Sora nodded, indicating that she was ready. As the Absol drew its head back once more, it created a chance.

"Sora! Take it down with Quick Attack now!" shouted Artemis.

Sora, obeying loyally, swiftly slid into the area beneath the dark types head, then tackled it from underneath. Flying, her opponent crashed into a tree.

"Now finish it off with Swift!" commanded Artemis.

Glowing, Sora shot countless star shaped projectiles at Absol, and hit it before the red creature even had time to react. As the Absol slid down from the tree, it groaned. Snarling at the pair, Artemis and Sora, it disappeared into the darkness. Making sure that it was gone, Artemis recalled Sora into her Pokeball.

"Well done, Sora," said Artemis, stroking the Pokeball, "and thank you."

Artemis ran over to Sky, who had now nursed Aura with his potion and recalled it into his Pokeball. Artemis thanked Sky for helping him.

"Thanks Sky," said Artemis, "I wouldn't have made it without you."

"Like I said," replied a smiling Sky, "I promised to look after you."

The two teenagers walked back to their camp, and got back into their sleeping bags.

"Better get some sleep tonight," said Artemis, "if we want to get to Masago Town by tomorrow."

Sky yawned his reply, and went straight to sleep. Artemis followed suit, this time dreaming better dreams… like about the boy next to her.

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Was it any good? again, PLEASE REVIEW! thanks for reading.  



	4. Another

Desclaimer: I DONT own Pokemon!

Ok, now that we have that out of the way... new chapter now up. The story will really kick off from this chapter, with an introduction of a new character. Please R+R! I hope you like it.

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Chapter 3: Another

"Get up Sky! Time to get going!" shouted Artemis in Sky's ear as she packed up her sleeping bag. She had a good night's sleep without nightmares, and was feeling all refreshed and happy. Even her scar felt better today.

"M-Mooom… Just… a few more minutes," grumbled Sky, as he curled up deeper into his sleeping bag.

Artemis sighed. If this was the way it was going to be every single morning, she concluded that they would have a very late start indeed. She decided to approach with a more forceful, if not violent tactic. Grabbing the foot-end of Sky's sleeping bag, she lifted it, shaking Sky out of his bag. However, Sky continued to sleep.

"Arrrgh!!! I'm sick of this, Sky Stratus!!!" roared Artemis, "GET…..UP!!!"

With that, she kicked Sky right up the behind.

"OOWWW!" cried out Sky in pain, "What did you do that for?"

Artemis, satisfied, got to work preparing breakfast. She had already packed up her stuff, and was now feeding Sora. Sky was still grumbling when he let Aura out of its Pokeball. Yawning, Sky packed up his stuff, making sure he didn't forget anything.

"While I prepare breakfast, you can go gather some berries for us," said Artemis.

"You sound just like my mum," grumbled Sky, as he stood up and went into the bush, followed by Aura. That comment made Artemis blush, though she quickly hid it. Artemis quickly got to work, cutting up the Pinap Berries. They'd have to eat them raw, though, because the fire had gone out over the night.

Meanwhile, Sky was exploring the bushes with his companion, Aura. He was surrounded by trees, with gaps here and there between the branches letting in beads of light into the growth below. All around him the leaves rustled in the cool breeze, as though whispering to each other. That was when Sky spotted some berries on the trees. They were pink and round and he could just make out the soft skin of the berry. It was a Pecha Berry. His favorite.

"Aura, can you climb up there and drop some to me?" he asked his Pokemon.

Aura nodded, as he climbed up the tree. He spotted a clump of Pechas, and with his paw, dropped it to his trainer beneath. The pair did this for a couple of minutes, which by then had given them a nice supply of sixteen Pecha Berries. Aura hopped down from the tree, and together they walked back to camp. Artemis was already there, slicing Pinaps. Sky groaned. He hated Pinaps.

"Artemiiis! You know I hate Pinaps!" groaned Sky as he walked into camp.

"Too bad. It's either that or nothing," she said simply.

"Actually… it's either that or my delicious Pechas," said Sky, taking a Pecha from his sack, "And I choose Pechas."

Saying that, he dug into his pile of Pechas. Artemis raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure you want to eat all that. Once we get into Masago, I could use that for a pie…" said Artemis.

Choking, Sky abruptly stopped eating his seventh Pecha. Looking at his remaining Pechas, he concluded that there was enough left to make a pie, and so finished off eating his Pecha. Then getting up, he made sure that they had left nothing unpacked. Confirming that they hadn't, he turned to Artemis, who had now finished eating her Pinaps.

"Okay then, let's go!" said Sky, urging Artemis to hurry up.

"Fine…" answered Artemis, getting her fanny pack. She was glad she didn't have to carry around a huge backpack like Sky's, it would have killed her back.

"Sora, return," said Artemis, returning Sora to her Pokeball, while Sky did the same with Aura.

Then, after a final check up to confirm that they were okay to go, they left camp, heading towards Masago in the bright morning sun.

After a few hours of walking, Masago Town came into view. They could just make out a Pokemon Center, and behind it, a large building that looked like a laboratory. From what Artemis knew, it was supposed to be owned by Professor Rowan, a world renowned Pokemon researcher. It wasn't exactly a large town, but it was still bigger than Twinleaf. The two got very excited. They had never been this far from Twinleaf before. Walking through town, they saw many people, both young and old, going about their daily business. There were many small shops in town, selling a variety of things from food to seashells. Looking to their right, they noticed a path leading to a beach filled with people sunbathing, swimming, and fishing. Soon, they were near the Pokemon Center.

"Come on Artemis! I'll race ya there!" said Sky, already getting ready to sprint.

Artemis was about to take the challenge when, she realised with a pang that her back would not let her.

"I can't," she sighed, "Remember what happened last time?"

Sky had forgotten all about that, and was filled with guilt.

"Sorry," said Sky, looking down, "I forgot about that."

"Don't worry, I nearly did too."

Sighing, they both made for the Pokemon Center. Entering through the automated doors, they saw a smiling pink haired woman.

When they walked up to her, she said in a cheery voice, "Hello, I'm Nurse Joy. My cousins and I run the Pokemon Centers around the globe! How can I be of assistance?"

"Well, first of all, can we borrow a room?" asked Sky.

"Well of course! Would you like a Queen Bed, or two singles?" asked Joy.

The thought of sleeping together made Artemis and Sky blush instantly. Catching each other's eyes, they looked away from each other. Nurse Joy chuckled at the two youngsters' attitude.

"I guess you want two single beds," she said smiling, "Here are the keys."

Thanking Nurse Joy, Artemis grabbed the keys from her. It said "Room 8", so they turned right on the hallway. Finding it, Artemis pushed the key into the doorknob, and opened the door to reveal a nice comfy room with two beds, a TV, and a bathroom. Artemis walked over to the bed nearest to her, and dumping her stuff on the bed, lay down and sighed.

"Finally, we made it," said Artemis, grinning broadly, "So much happened in the last few days, didn't they?"

"Yeah," said Sky, "At least we're here, huh? What do you wanna do now?"

"I don't know. You?" asked Artemis

"Eat," replied Sky simply.

"EAT! EAT? Is all you ever think about food???" laughed Artemis.

"No. I think about pies, pizza, chips, cookies, and Pecha juice."

"They're all food, Sky," pointed out Artemis.

"Nope. Pecha juice is a drink. Get it right," said Sky, wagging a finger at her.

Artemis rolled her eyes. Still, she had to admit, she was pretty hungry. By now it was past 1.00 pm, so no wonder she was getting hungry, it was lunchtime.

Standing up, she said, "Okay then, let's go get something to eat."

Sky followed Artemis out the door, and the two headed towards the cafeteria inside the Center. There, Artemis ordered a bowl of ramen, while Sky ordered a hamburger. Looking for a seat, they scanned the cafeteria, when a notice caught Artemis' eye. Walking towards it, she could make out the words "Sinnoh Pokemon Contest – Kotobuki" printed in bold letters on a poster.

"Sinnoh Pokemon Contest… Held in Kotobuki City 25th of July… Register at Contest Venue," read Artemis aloud, "Great! This could be the start for my Coordinator campaign!"

"You think so, girl?" a voice came from behind her. The voice was cold and had no emotion in it whatsoever.

Turning around, Artemis saw a boy a few years older than her. He had jet black hair, pale skin, and wore black generally all over. The appearance alone was scary, but what scared her most were the eyes. They had the same look as the Absol that had attacked her. Cold… Empty… and unkind. Those eyes bored into hers as all her recent memories came back. The Absol rearing, striking her back, last night in the forest… Then she blinked, and it was gone. The boy extended a hand, and introduced himself.

"My name is Dark. Artemis… Dark."

"Uuh… H-hello, Mr. Dark," stuttered Artemis. She was still stunned by how much he reminded her of the Absol. Shaking her hand with Artemis Dark, she noticed that the hands were unnaturally cold.

Behind them, Sky snickered. "Isn't Artemis a girl's name? I mean she…" Sky pointed at his friend, "is Artemis."

"Actually, Artemis can be used for both males and females Mr…"

"Stratus," finished off Sky, "Sky Stratus."

Sky greeted Dark, but when their eyes met, Sky suddenly withdrew his hand as if stung. Those eyes looked too much like the Absol's. Sky thought… no, KNEW, that there was something funny about this guy.

"What's wrong Stratus?" asked Dark

"N-nothing, just hurt… that's all," answered a shaken Sky.

Dark's eyes narrowed, but shook it off very quickly. "Well, hope to see you around then. I'm a co-ordinator too, just to let you know, Ms. Crescent." With that, he walked off.

Artemis and Sky sat down, and started eating. The two were deep in thought, mostly about the new Artemis they had met. Artemis however, wasted no time in telling her friend about the contest in Kotobuki. It was only a week away, but Sky told her that they'd make it by then if they left by tomorrow night. Artemis nodded, and the two started conversing about Dark again.

"I mean… he just looks too much like that Absol," said Sky, "It can't just be coincidence, can it?"

"I don't know…" frowned Artemis, "I want to find out more about this guy first, though."

Finishing off their lunch, they went outside to explore the town. However, unfriendly eyes watched them as they went out the door. Those eyes belonged to the boy they had just met. He was now bent over his Pokemon, an Absol. The blood red Absol that had attacked Artemis.

"Follow them. Make sure they don't leave our sight," ordered Dark.

The Absol nodded once, and confirming that there were no further orders, it took off into the street.

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ok, done. Who is Artemis Dark and what is he up to? read more to find out! updating soon. Please Review. 


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